Rolling out the New Gongs

IRON metal gongs standing at a height of 16 feet can be cast in Myanmar where gongs are used as a musical instrument and a craft for decorative purposes as well, said U Than Zaw, a bronze casting specialist in Tamawady, Mandalay.
Following an experiment in which a 16-foot-tall iron metal gong that can make sound was built, we can cast a metal gong with a height of up to 16 feet to be used as a musical instrument or decorative craft, he said.
Only gongs which were three feet high could produce sound previously, he added.
According to the bronze casting specialist, a three-foot gong cast in bronze will cost K1.3 million but a three-foot iron metal gong will cost K350,000 only.
“Traditional gongs are cast in iron metal as tourists are unwilling to buy expensive bronze gongs.”
According to sources, Myanmar successfully tested casting of iron metal gongs last October, and measures are being taken to gain access to foreign markets.
Although bronze gongs have been widely used in Myanmar since days of yore, there has been a sharp decline in the sale of bronze gongs in the market due to the rising bronze price and scarcity of bronze, causing some bronze casting businesses to close their doors, said U Than Zaw.—Maung Pyi Thu (Mandalay)